Wolf's Way
by darkangel913
Summary: Angel turned away, hiding the words she compelled to her lips. "I have seen my future." The adult relaxed, then lay down. What she didn't tell Nastra was she had seen her own death.
1. Chapter 1

The snow was thick and cold outside. The pack trudged on, following their leader, Tsuki, through the heavy snow. Tsuki was a dark grey wolf. He had black markings and red eyes. He was a skilled fighter, the best in his pack. His sister, Rain, walked beside him. Her white coat was pearl-colored with snow, and her steps were heavy with exhaustion, as were every other wolf's. Rain's sensitive nose was pressed close to the ground, searching, searching, searching.

Suddenly, she found it. The scent she was looking for, the scent of the den she herself had been born at, along with Tsuki. Tsuki sighed with relief, and howled into the air. Immediately, two wolves ran forward. "Yes?" the larger wolf asked. It was Riot, Tsuki's brother. Beside him was Zenos, his other brother.

Riot was normally a pitch-black wolf, but from all of the snow that had accumulated on his back he looked half-black, have white. His paws had white stripes, and his eyes were pale reddish amber.

Zenos stood slightly behind him, silent and sentient. His coat was white-silver, and like his brother, his eyes were red. His fur was ragged and dripping with melted snow.

"Can't you smell it?" Tsuki's voice was deep and excited. Rain's fur bristled with excitement. Zenos sniffed the ground, and stiffened.

"The den?" he growled. Rain nodded her white-furred head. Another wolf trotted up to them. It was Silver, Flame's sister. She was a jet-black and silver wolf. She had silver specks on her shoulders, tail-tip, and the side of her face. Her eyes were electric blue. Flame was Tsuki's mate. She is the alpha, as Tsuki is also the alpha. Flame is also burdened with unborn pups.

"Yes?" Tsuki asked.

"It's almost time. You must hurry, you must!" Silver's voice was urgent. Rain spoke and her voice was uncharacteristically harsh. "Tsuki! You knew, didn't you?" Her tone was accusing, and it shocked them all. Rain hadn't been like this since she'd last been in season, and all the male wolves from each pack had been all over her, except her brothers. That had been little over a year ago.

Tsuki hung his head in shame. "Forgive me, sister. I-"

"Don't apologize to me," she snapped. "If you're going to apologize to anybody, apologize to Flame." With that, Rain bounded forward, her nose pressed close to the ground, following the scent of the den that was growing stronger with every step she took.

Riot turned back to his brother. "What was that about?" he asked.

"Nothing. Go help her. Go!" They hesitated, unsure of what to do. "I said go!" Tsuki growled menacingly.

Silver stayed behind. She watched Riot adoringly as he ran. Tsuki knew she had loved him for some time. She turned back to him. 'You shouldn't be so hard on them. They do love you, you know."

"I-" But Silver had already turned away and was trotting over to Flame, whose sides were heaving.

A howl split the air. Tsuki's siblings had found the den. Tsuki raced forward. His family was already digging quickly, unearthing the heavy snow. Sora, Frost, Suri, Stagger, and Cambria raced forward to help.

They all scrabbled at the earth, digging deeply. After about five minutes, it was entirely clear of snow. They gazed into the den where they knew only Flame would be allowed into. Flame stood behind them, her head nearly touching the earth from her extreme exhaustion. They parted to let her through.

Flame's steps were weary as she walked into the den. As soon as she was in, Silver and Rain sat on each side of the den. Tsuki stepped forward to bid goodbye to his mate.

Immediately, they sprang forward, growling. Their lips were curled upward in snarls, revealing their sparkling white canines. So surprised was Tsuki that he laid his ears back flat on his head and crouched down, as he would have done when he was a pup and had done something wrong. He backed away, and got up. Anyone else who stepped near them was growled at and forced to back away, except Suri. She refused to back away. She growled back, and the sound was menacing and fur-raising.

The wolves heard a growl coming from inside the den. Flame was not enjoying their bickering, at all. Suri settled down in mouth of the den, blocking everyone's access.

Tsuki and the others, Sora, Frost, Stagger, Cambria, Riot, Zenos, Vitalli, and Envy walked away to their own part of the clearing.

Sora had a black coat, with white toes on her left hind leg, a white tail tip, and amber colored eyes. On her front legs, steel bone was exposed in miniscule areas, due to human experimenting. She had told Tsuki that her bones, fangs, and claws were made of complete steel.

Frost was a white and grey wolf. His eyes were golden colored.

Stagger was a light brown, brown, and black wolf, with lush green eyes similarly colored to that of grass when it is at its prime and beautiful.

Cambria's coat was black, with a blue moon over her left eye. Her eyes were the same color, electric blue.

Vitalli was a pearl-white wolf with ice colored eyes, making them seem colorless and hard. But in truth, she was a gentle wolf, except in a fight where she was extremely fierce and ruthless, as well as unmerciful.

Envy was a wolf with a gray coat and dark violet eyes.

Frost, his mate Vitalli, and Envy walked away to the north of the den, about twenty yards away from the den, and lay down.

Cambria, Sora, Stagger walked to the south of the den, sat, and began to talk amongst themselves.

Zenos nudged Tsuki with his muzzle, and lead him toward the east of the den.

Riot stayed where he was, except he came and laid down not two feet from Silver. Apparently, he felt some affection for her, too. He touched her nose with his.

She half closed her eyes, basking in his attention she had so longed for. They began to talk, all four of them.

Soon, all the wolves began to doze, except the four at the den mouth. When it was dawn, Riot rose and woke Cambria, Sora, and Stagger.

He led them to where Suri, Silver, and Rain were sitting, guarding the den. They exchanged places, and the three that had been sleeping now sat to guard the den. The other three went to sleep where Cambria, Sora, and Stagger had originally been sleeping. They were asleep as soon as they buried in the snow for warmth.

Next, Riot walked to Frost and Envy and woke them. He wanted to organize a hunting party. They agreed, and woke Tsuki, Zenos, and Vitalli. They agreed as soon as he laid out his plan to hunt.

They left the three to guard, the other to sleep, and obviously, Flame.

As soon as they were out of hearing range of the sleeping wolves, they arranged themselves in a V formation. Tsuki was not at point, Vitalli was. She was faster and had a sharper, more sensitive nose. Envy and Frost brought up the rear. Then came Riot and Tsuki and Zenos. The three brothers were the best male hunters in the pack. Normally, Rain and Silver were the best in the whole pack, along with Vitalli, but the absent two were fast asleep. So Vitalli led.

If you were to look at the wolves from a bird's eye view, you would have seen that they almost blended with the white ground. It was snowing heavily by now, and becoming hard to discern the wolves from the precipitation.

However, this was to the wolves' advantage. This meant that their prey would not be able to see them in the blurry snow.

Vitalli flicked her tail upward, meaning she had smelled something, something that they could hunt. It was caribou.

Vitalli pressed her nose the ground, following the intoxicating scent that filled her nostrils. She could think of nothing else, the bloodlust would consume her if she did not find the caribou, and quickly.

She broke into a run, her sensitive nose pressed into the snow. The other wolves followed her.

Suddenly, she stopped. She flicked her tail to the left. That meant to stop. The pack crouched down in the snow, cold, with the phantom taste of fresh meat swimming tantalizing in their mouths.

Vitalli spotted the herd. There were about twenty caribou in all. They froze; they had sensed the wolves. The wolves froze as well, and silence rang in all the animal's ears.

Without warning, the caribou broke into a run. Vitalli scanned the herd as they ran, looking for a weak one. She spotted it.

The caribou was old, and even its fur sagged. Its head was low and weary. It was limping badly, and Vitalli saw that its left front leg was red with blood still flowing from the open cuts near its hoof.

Vitalli sprinted forward as it began to lag behind, with no one to protect it. She leapt on it's back and bit open its flank. The others fell to its legs, tearing them open to reveal the tendons and muscle. Blood spurted everywhere as the wolves let the bloodlust consume them.

Tsuki managed to break its left back leg, and it collapsed. The other wolves crept backward; this was something they were not allowed to do.

Lokchnivr, as the wolves called it. Tsuki walked forward from where he was standing, and looked into the dying animal's eyes. Understanding seemed to flow from the old animals eyes and it flashed the whites of its eyes, showing complete and utter submission. It was giving the wolf permission to kill it, so that the wolf could live on. It knew its time had come, and the creature exposed its neck to Tsuki's long, sharp fangs.

Tsuki sank his teeth into the old animal's neck, and the death rattle shook its body as life left it. The creature was dead.

He began to eat the creature's flank, where the blood was still flowing in gentle streams down its skin.

Vitalli walked up beside him. She was second in rank at the moment, even though she had led the hunt, Tsuki was still Alpha.

She bit into the dead animal's flank, and tore away the tough skin with a vicious tug. She breathed in deeply, enjoying the tangy scent of fresh blood and meat. Again and again, she tore into the dead animal, satisfying herself on the raw meat of the deceased creature.

Tsuki finished his meal and strode over to a tree nearby to rest under.

Vitalli walked up beside him. She nudged him with her head, like a sister would, and walked back over to the carcass. She bit into the dead animal's flank, tearing away the thick skin with a powerful tug.

The others came up and ate with them in rank order, but they did not eat their fill as Tsuki had. They needed to save some for the others, Flame especially.

About an hour later, they were done. Over half the animal was still intact with the skeleton.

Vitalli walked back up to Tsuki. His coat was splattered with the caribou's blood, and it looked as if instead of snow, blood had fallen on her leader's muzzle, chest, and paws. His muzzle was completely red with the caribou's blood. "We need to bring some back for Flame. Who should carry it?"

Tsuki thought for a moment. "Zenos and Riot. They are strongest right now, and this paw weakens me."

Vitalli knew how hard it must have been for her leader to say this, to bend his pride.

A few weeks ago, Tsuki's paw had been caught in one of the human traps. He had barely escaped.

Anyhow, he was still hurting even though Sora, the pack's Healer, had tended to him. The muscle in his paw had been torn in a small area, and it was taking longer than usual to heal.

Vitalli bowed her head to Tsuki, who stood proud in the ever-falling snow. His huge body was covered in snow, and his fur where the snow had melted was shimmering in the light of dawn.

She walked over to Zenos and Riot, who were lying down next to each other, and motioned to them with her tail.

They got up at once, and followed her. The trio ripped a haunch from the carcass of the caribou, and Zenos and Riot took it from Vitalli to grip it more firmly in their jaws.

The hunting party trudged through the deep snow, on the way home. They walked in complete silence, listening to the singsong chatter of the birds they could not understand. The sound of the waking animals filled the forest's ears.

For about an hour they walked through the falling snow, walking home to Flame, and hopefully, newborn pups.

Tsuki's mind was aflame with thoughts his heirs. He hoped to have two boys and one girl. He swore to himself that he would love them all the same, even if they were all boys or all girls. He knew he would love them anyway.

His thoughts consumed him as the pack walked thought the snow.

They reached the clearing. Tsuki noticed for the first time the snow had stopped falling. Light of the risen sun made the fallen snow sparkle like diamonds. The rest of the pack was nowhere to be seen.

Vitalli walked toward the edge of the den. She pawed the stone above the entrance to the den and whined softly.

Flame emerged, and there was a spring once more in her step, and loving fire in her eyes. They touched noses, and then disappeared into the darkness.

Tsuki shifted his weight nervously, rare for him.

As Vitalli walked inside the den, she began to smell blood. Her steps were weary with caution was she followed her leader's mate. She smelled the wolves that had stayed behind in the den before she heard them. They reached the chamber.

Vitalli's sharp eyes needed no time to adjust to the blackness. There were three pups, all females. They were lying close together to keep warm. The pups were snuggled between Rain and Silver.

The two adults were sleeping quietly, their sides rising and falling as they took each breath. As they lay next to each other, they looked opposites.

Flame let out a small whine, and they opened their eyes. They rose to their feet, yawning. Vitalli looked down in wonder at the newborn pups.

One was a beautiful silvery-grey pup. A brown, arrow-shaped mark started between her ears and ended with the point between her tightly closed eyes. She was on the left of the three pups.

Another was also silver. They looked so similar they could have been identical if it weren't for the arrow on her flank instead of her forehead. Her mark was as black as midnight.

The wolf-pup in the middle was the oddball, though she was breath taking. She was mostly white, with black on her forehead and lines of black running down her neck and the rest of her body. Her right paw was laid over one of her sister's back. The arrow was on her paw.

Vitalli looked into her leader's eyes. Flame's eyes were floating, swimming with happiness. She licked Flame's cheek, and left the room, motioning for the others to follow.

Follow they did, only to find Tsuki at the entrance, blocking their path. "Tsuki?" Vitalli growled. He moved aside, and they filed out. Flame brought up the rear.

Tails wagging, the two alphas touched noses, equals, together again. Flame turned into the den, Tsuki at her heels. They walked into the chamber, and Tsuki stopped dead.

Tsuki looked down at his heirs, and there was nothing but tenderness and wonder in his usually grave expression as Flame lay down. The pups woke instinctively moved closer to her belly to suckle. Or rather, two of them did.

The middle pup, the white and black one, got up and walked outside the den.

The two parents looked at each other, then at their child. She was not in the least bit unsteady.

Vitalli, who was guarding the entrance, was astounded to see the little wolf walk up beside her and nuzzle her affectionately.

Flame was behind her, having left Tsuki to watch the other pups. "Angel…my little Angel…" she whispered.

Vitalli looked to her, surprised. "Is that her name?" she asked. Tsuki walked up beside his mate, nodded, and said, "Yes. And I thought Destiny for the silver with the brown arrow, and Fate for the other with the arrowed flank.

Flame nodded, "It fits them. I feel it so…"

Unbeknownst to the adults, Angel was walking above them, on the top of the entrance. She lay down, her head on her paws, her eyes closed. She fell asleep as the adults continued to talk.

After a while, Flame went back inside and Tsuki settled to guard the entryway.

A cry came from within. "Angel! Where is Angel?"

Tsuki looked around quickly. Vitalli, however, looked above the den, onto the stone above the ground. She chuckled, and he turned on her snarling.

"This is not a laughing matter!" he growled menacingly. But Vitalli was not one to back down.

Rather, she laid her ears back and bared her teeth. Little did Tsuki realize that Vitalli was joking.

He leapt at her, and she rolled to the side, her teeth bared, her eyes laughing.

Their "fight" continued for several minutes until Tsuki leapt up and said, "Enough. Where is my child?" He nearly screamed with rage as Vitalli smirked at him.

"My lord," she said sarcastically, "She is above the den. She was there the entire time we were talking."

Tsuki looked up, and cursed inwardly, cursing himself and his mistakes.

There she was, Angel, sound asleep in the bright, warm, light of the sun.

Vitalli leapt up onto the top of the den and lay down beside the pup. "I will stay with her," she whispered. Then she lay her head down on her paws, and closed her eyes, letting a small sight escape form her lips.

Tsuki padded away silently, leaving the two their rest. He himself had not slept in nearly a week. The only reason he had not slept was he had to protect his mate, and he would only go on because he knew Flame would not be able to rest or eat until she had had the pups.

But that was over and done with, and he needed his sleep. He lay down and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him instantly. Even in daylight, he would be allowed to sleep for his exertions.


	2. Chapter 2

The pup's eyes and other senses needed only five days to work. Their eyes opened on the firth day after they were born. They were allowed out into the world on their tenth.

The sun rose and set, and the pups were introduced into the outside.

For the moment, the pups were playing in the snow, sending it flying and the adults running for cover. Tsuki rolled with them, causing Flame to growl irritably. For about ten minutes they wrestled, until they collapsed, eyes closed and silent.

Suddenly a single, menacing growl split the now-silent air. Nastra stepped into the clearing. She was a black wolf, dark as the midnight sky above them.

Tsuki was immediately crouching protectively over the pups. Nastra smiled at the display of protectiveness.

She nodded to her half-sister, Flame, who growled quietly then walked over beside her mate.

The wolves were barely visible in the light of the moon and stars. However, their eyes shone out, whatever color they might be: blue, amber, gold, red, green, silver, or violet. And in Nastra's eyes there was no color to see. Her hatred and her misery blocked the color from view, making her seem cold and heartless, which of course she was.

Tsuki stepped forward, snarling. Nastra laughed, and the sound was as humorous as her smile and heartless as her eyes.

Fate and Destiny flinched back, but Angel stood next to her father, daring as ever, refusing to be protected.

Her yellow eyes gazed into Nastra's colorless orbs, and still she did not flinch.

The two wolves seemed to be communicating silently, through their very thoughts. In truth, Nastra was trying to break into the walls of the young wolf's mind. Angel felt pain, emotional pain, mental pain, physical pain at the probe attempting to crumple her defenses.

A way to imagine what it would feel like would be to imagine this: A dagger is stabbing repeatedly at something, something proving to be impenetrable, impearmable.

Angel suddenly heard a twig snap nearby, and her focus was diverted.

Seizing her chance, Nastra let her conscience fly into Angel's.

She was surprised at how vast, powerful, even alien Angel's conscience seemed to her. Angel smirked inwardly, and Nastra almost kicked herself for thinking that the wolf pup might be more powerful than she.

Angel spoke, but no words issued from her mouth, nor did her lips move to form words, not her voice boxes vibrate to make sound come from her throat. No, she spoke in her mind, and only two living souls would ever hear what she said. "You have no place her. Leave, Nastra."

The simple command was, in its own way, not simple at all. Her words were laced with power, layered with dominant strength, filled with ancient misery.

"No," Nastra snarled inside her mind.

"What do you want?" Angel snarled.

Outside their linked minds, her lips curled up in a silent snarl. Nastra laughed mentally, and her laugh was colder than ever. Angel shivered, but regained her composure in the same second.

Outside their connected thoughts, the pack watched the on-going exchange. Angle looked tiny compared to Nastra, but she looked fearsome in the half-light.

Her teeth shone pearl-white, even whiter against her white muzzle. Her eyes flashed yellow and dangerous, fire-filled and furious. Nastra shrank back, but only for a moment, before crying out to Angel in her mind.

"You need me Angel. Only I can understand the power you have hidden within you."

Angel growled, low and menacingly. "I don't need your aid, Nastra. I don't need for you to break the barriers of my mind, just to grasp the power you say I have. I don't nee d you to try to understand me. Leave me and my family be."

"Your family? _Only a family to bring the wise, to bring revenge in future times."_ Her voice hissed in Angel's mind. Angel fancied she heard genuine fear in her words, in Nastra's thoughts.

Suddenly, there was a great rumble, and a bold of living electricity shot right above Nastra's head, striking the tree behind her. The flames roared around Nastra, dancing in the most dangerous dance, light sparkling over and over her scarred muzzle.

Nastra focused, using all the power she possessed. She panted form her efforts, her sides heaving, bending the ten-day old wolf to her will. Angel may have been young, but she was strong. Slowly, so slowly, Angel was being forced against her will.

Nastra withdrew from Angel's mind, and watched the young wolf smile. Her smile was as dangerous and deceptive as Nastra's.

Nastra looked carefully at Angel, especially at her eyes. She noted that her eyes were blank and unfocused. She smiled internally, growling her satisfaction.

Angel spoke and her voice was dead, empty, austere, deprived of emotion, even whispery, as if a snake was slithering over dead leaves. "I'm leaving," she whispered.

In the silence that followed, Nastra felt as if she was shattering their world, the pack's world, the world they knew, the world they were comfortable in. She chuckled, and no humor was in the sound.

Angel turned on her heel, turned away from the world she had perceived to the fullest, from the family she loved, the parents she had adored. She walked away, Nastra at her side.

They walked in the dark forest, the darkness enveloping them like their own fur. Three surrounded them, as if guardians or motionless figures only standing there, watching them, protecting them.

Nastra stopped, and turned to Angel. Her mind entered the young wolf's. She slowly let Angel become herself again, until she was one hundred percent Angel.

Angel gave a start, and looked around. Nastra, dark and fearsome as the night, slunk backward so she blended with the shadows. She disappeared in a single step.

Angel looked around again, finally noticing Nastra. She stumbled forward, dazed, as the memories of the previous hour came rushing back to her.

"Nastra," Angel growled, the sound coming from deep within her throat.

"Angel," Nastra whispered, almost a motherly look crossing her features. "Oh, Angel." Angel stepped backward as Nastra stepped forward.

"What do you want with me?" she hissed toward the adult, who merely smiled.

"Angel, I need to tell you something. Can you promise to listen?" the dark wolf asked the young one. There was so much pain, so much agony, so much misery, so much torment in her voice that Angel couldn't bear to say no.

"I promise," the young wolf whispered, and Nastra stepped out of the shadows, becoming visible once more.

She walked to Angel, and to the young wolf's surprise, nuzzled her. Unsure what to do, she stood motionless, fearing if she did move, Nastra would attack her.

Nastra seemed to sense her thoughts, and pulled away at once. She began to speak, and only a glimmer of her former self was in her voice. Instead, her voice was grave, slightly pained, and only a sliver of her anger was in her.

"Many stores tell the wolves of Transylvania of the long-lost Wisdom Wolves. I see you recognize their name, yes?" Nastra did not wait for her answer, though Angel nodded. "Wisdom Wolves were the wisest, smartest, most intelligent creatures to ever live. Even more so than Man. Creatures from all around came to visit them, to seek their advice. But in jealousy, the younger Wisdom Wolves killed the elders, vanquishing their knowledge. However, shortly before they were killed, they spun forth a legend, a prophesy, that tells of a new Wisdom Wolf, more wise than any other. This wolf, called the Wise Wolf, shall have the power to control minds, of all animals, not just wolves, even Man. The legend says that this wolf must know the ways of the she-wolf, to love and to be able to birth. She shall receive a vision, one that she must share with all animals, but not Man. In this vision, we will learn the final secret." Nastra stopped, staring at Angel. She nodded encouragingly, and Nastra continued with her tale.

"The legend says she shall be a white wolf, with black forehead an ears, and lines of black running across her neck and pelt." She stopped again, to study the features she was describing, the features right in front of her. They matched her exactly. Nastra began to chant the legend as it was prophesized, as it was told so many years ago, so many millennia ago.

_As a she-cub is whelped with a coat that is white,_

_And the wolf stolen to suckle the night,_

_From a place where injustice was secretly done,_

_The marked one is here and a legend begun._

_The Cold One is dreamt with terror and dread,_

_He prepares for the coming of the dead,_

_The Deamons' pact with the dead will come true,_

_When the blood of the wolf blends with the Seekers' in the dew,_

_The Cold One is tempted, he hungers and prowls,_

_Go down the Pathways of Death, use the summoning howls._

_The truest of powers will be scorched to the bone_

_The Seekers tempt nature on its own_

_With blood on the altar, the Vision will come,_

_The she-wolf will be what she was meant to become,_

_In the heavens raised by the lords before,_

_The living turn away, the stone is splattered with the gore,_

_The secret which all the animals must know,_

_The past and the future shall finally show. _

_All shall witness that which shall be,_

_In the mind of the Wise One, then who shall be free?_

_Only a family to break the Wise,_

_To bring revenge in future times,_

_Only a wolf so loving and true,_

_Their blood shall blend with snow in the dew,_

_They see in their journey how painful is care,_

_They wait to see what secrets they can share._

_Who shall discern the darkness from light,_

_The lies from the truth, in the dead of night?_

_Like the cry of the Seeker, slit the air,_

_A valor is needed, as deep as despair._

Nastra stopped chanting, watching as Angel swayed where she was. She put a paw on her shoulder, and she steadied. "What is wrong child?" she asked, her motherly voice and expression returning.

"I have seen," the young wolf whimpered. Tears ran down her face as she remembered what she had seen, what had been told to her.

"What have you seen?" Nastra asked, loudly over Angel's cries.

She turned away, hiding the words she compelled to her lips. "I have seen my future," she finally said.

The adult relaxed, than lay down.

What she didn't tell Nastra, was she had seen her own death.


	3. Author's Note Sorry!

**Writers Block**

I'm having writers block. (Frustrating, I know!) I need new ideas, and if you have some, let me know. Please keep in mind that this is my first ever fanfic, so it might not be as good as the later ones.

**Pen Name Changed**

I have changed my pen name, now it is darkangel13. (That's a 13 after darkangel, just so you know.) Keep with me, and I'm sure this story will get somewhere!

**Bouncing Around**

I have an odd habit of bouncing around in my stories as I am writing two others right now, so it might take a while for me to get back to this one. But stay with me! I know that I can finish this. (Keep reviewing and that's sure to keep me on track. I would like to get at lease one-hundred reviews by the time this story is over, so let all the people know who review you that you have a fanfic you are keeping up with. That should help me keep writing a lot more!)


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